Zugzwang
by Batty28
Summary: Life is about choices. It's time future heroes and rogues made theirs. Contains a few OCs.
1. Chapter 1

Dark city

* * *

The rain poured over the city of Gotham, beating harshly against it's weathered stones and grey walk ways. People were rushing back and forth, trying to get to their destinations, trying to avoid the rain as much as possible.

Police cars had stopped by the docks, the police doing their jobs, a few curious bystanders watched as the all to ferfmilular yellow tape fell across the entrance, Ace chemicals waste deposit was the site of the recent crime. Two body bags were taken away, cops taking eye witness accounts from workers who had been there the night of the crime.

A man in a long brown mac, a hat tipped over his face walked over to the tape, a fellow cop lifting it for him as he walked over to the place the CSIs were taking shots of with their cameras.

One singular red cape and bowl like hood, the hood itself glistened in the rain, the water droplets running over it's surface down the side as it reflected the man's image as he stared at it.

"This it?" he questioned, the head CSI stood up and walked over to him.

"There's a few foot prints leading off towards town but… there's no way this man will be alive soon, not with the amount of harmful chemicals there is in the water. He'll be dead now for sure, probably with skin and throat damage."

"Probably?"

"It's hard to tell Commissioner, there's so many mixes of chemicals in the water, who knows what he may look like now."

"Lets pray we don't find out," he mumbled as he shook his head, over hearing one of the witness's testimonies. "God, not again."

"What's wrong Gordon?" asked the CSI.

Gordon sighed and shook his head. "Damn bat again. Apparently this was his doing, but I don't think he would of pushed him in here," he gestured to the water that was glowing a faint green colour. "All of the people he attacks are left alive but badly beaten and screaming about a monster in the dark."

"So you think he's real?" the CSI questioned as he fiddled with his camera, trying to act like he wasn't paying any attention what so ever to what Gordon was saying. "Commissioner?" he looked up but Gordon was gone, walking back under the tape down the rest of the Alley, sighing slightly as he took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair before he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"I thought you were trying to quit."

He would of jumped if he wasn't used to it. "You made quite an impression last night," Gordon mumbled as he looked over at the dark oily figure that lay just in the shadows of the alley.

"The men were stopped, that's what count."

"And the Red Hood?" Gordon questioned as he looked at the white piercing eyes. "I heard he took a swan dive over the railing, you wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that would you?"

He was silent for a moment before speaking. "He panicked, tried to take the hood off and tripped over the railing. There was nothing I could of done."

"I'll take your word for that, friend," Gordon mumbled as he stamped out his cigaret and sighed.

"Sions is tightening his grip on the underworld. There's going to be a gang war between Penguin, Falcone and Maroni."

"Harvey Dent is determined to get Maroni and Falcone, I guess he wants he mob bosses out of the way before he deals with a gun runner and a drug dealer," Gordon placed his hat on before sighing. "I take it you've got a plan to-," he stopped mid sentence to find that his companion was gone. Shaking his head but letting a small smile twitch at his lips he chuckled slightly to himself. "Every damn time," he muttered as he walked off to the Police car.

* * *

The paper hit the desk with an all mighty slam that it made the occupant of the desk jump, jarring his glasses to the side in the effort and he looked up blinking in shock at the smiling raven haired woman who was wearing an off the should black top with gold trimming around the edge, the golden ankh that hung around her ankh shook slightly at her movement.

The boy before her blinked in confusion before he glanced down at the paper.

"You haven't heard have you?"

"Heard what?" he questioned looking up and straightening out his glasses, before he tugged the black long sleeve top he was wearing.

She expressed each of her words with her arms a smile never leaving her face. "The Red Hood got caught, finally and guess who it was that caught him, Edward!"

Edward frowned at that before shaking his head. "Let me guess, you're mysterious 'Batman'," he said airing quotation marks with his fingers.

The girl smacked his shoulder lightly as she glared at him. "He is real, nerd," she growled. "I thought you of all people would like to believe that he is, you read all of those super hero comics."

"Mist, he isn't real, how could he be and why would someone, anyone want to dedicate themselves to a life time of trying to change a city that is clearly not going to change. I mean, I saw the guy down the hall dealing drugs again, not to mention Black Mask's man that's always dealing outside the school gate and it's not only the pupils that buy it, it's some of the teachers too."

Mist rolled her eyes. "You have no hope for this city, do you?"

"I refuse to believe in false hope, bat themed vigillantes are included in that," Edward sighed and picked up the paper, handing it back to her as she snatched it back and placed it back in her bag before she hopped up onto his desk.

"You have to admit it is pretty strange that a whole bunch of different people are all saying the same thing right?" she looked down at him and smirked. "Explain that smarty pants, how is it that completely different people from completely different walks of life all describe the same thing."

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation for it."

"Which is?"

He frowned at her before shaking his head and glaring back at her. "There is a perfectly logical explanation for it, I just haven't figured out what it would be yet."

"In other words you don't know."

"Well do you?!"

"Yeah, he's real and they're describing a man dressed as a giant bat, who's saving our city and is doing a lot better job then the cops ever did."

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Look," Mist growled. "You may not believe in him but I do and I'll prove it to you, that he's real."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Edward muttered as the teacher finally came in, Mist hopped off his desk and sat behind him, taking out her books for english as the lesson began.

When the lesson ended Edward and Mist walked out, still arguing about the bat before Edward accidentally bumped into the psychology teacher.

"Ah, sorry Doctor Crane," Edward mumbled as he rubbed his shoulder, glancing up at the very tall and stick thin man who had to be about 6,3 maybe 6,4 who was glaring down at him with piercing amber eyes, that seemed to glow in the dark shadows underneath his eyes.

Mist was hiding behind Edward slightly as she stared up at him, he was creepy, the whole school had nick named him 'the school psycho' simply because of his mannerisms, hell even some of the other teachers called him that behind his back, that and 'scarecrow' because of the way he looked and the fact that every so often a hint of southern accent would sneak through his well practiced speech.

"It's quite alright, Mister Nashton," the Doctor drawled slightly before he narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. "See to it, that it never happens again in future."

"Y- yes sir," Edward muttered as he took a few steps back and almost bumped into Mist before the Doctor turned and strode down the hall, hardly seeming to notice or even care about the wide birth everyone in the corridor gave him as he walked past them.

"He gives me the creeps," Mist mumbled as she stared after him.

Edward nodded in agreement before he turned back to her. "I think he does that to everyone."

Mist smirked slightly before she glanced over his shoulder and grimaced. "Ugh, imbeciles at twelve o-clock," Edward turned to see the group of jocks and cheerleaders who were walking down the corridor, most of the cheerleaders were on their phones or attempting to do their make up as they walked, while the Jocks laughed and shoved anyone who got in their way into the lockers. "We better split," Mist continued as she tugged lightly at his shirt sleeve. "Before they make it this way, I have no desire to be laughed at and I bet you don't want a swirly today do you?"

He grimaced at the thought of it. "When do I ever want one of those?"

"Exactly," Mist laughed as she linked arms with him and tugged him along out of the school, walking down the steps, it was already starting to go dark.

"Ugh, I hate this city," Edward mumbled as they wandered the streets, sticking together as they wandered through the town.

Mist smiled slightly. "I like the city when it's lit up."

"Then Gotham's electricity bills must be very steep because I have never seen that happen."

"Well maybe not where you live, but where I live it happens on a regular basis."

"Ah yes, I forgot, the narrows are where the poor people live," Edward gave her a brittle smirk. "A place that only a drunk and abusive failure would live, yes?"

"I've told you to come round and stay at my place."

"As tempting as that is, if I went back home after a week of staying with you I'd probably be dead."

"Don't even joke like that, Edward."

"I wasn't joking."

Mist shoved him slightly and glared. "Good, 'cause it wasn't funny."

"Look I'm sorry, alright. Can I at least have the paper?" he gestured to it. "For the crossword puzzles?"

"You and your puzzles," she mumbled as she pulled the paper out and handed it to him. "What is it about them that you like so much, they always make my brain hurt."

"That's why I'm the genius and you're not."

"Oh I'm the idiot then?" Mist laughed as she punched his arm lightly.

Edward laughed and put the paper away. "There's no right answer for that is there?"

She shook her head and he smirked back at her.

"Excuse me, coming through!"

Edward and Mist jumped out of the way as a very small and little man went rushing past them, he seemed to be carrying a very big bag of something, a hat rested on his head as he ran past them, glancing at a pocket watch of all things as he ran.

"I'm oh so very late you see, oh so very late to tea!" he cried, more to himself they guessed then anyone else as he practically ran around the corner and disappeared into the dark.

"I'm late, I'm late for a very important date," Mist joked as she grinned at Edward who laughed back and shook his head.

"You're too cruel sometimes you know that?"

"Ah, but you love me for it, after all I broke Jimmy Jammy's nose with a good right hook after he ripped up your history book," she did the gesture as they began to walk again.

"I remember," Edward laughed as they finally came to the crossroads, one way lead into the richer part of Gotham and the other led to the narrows, the slums of Gotham.

Mist sighed. "Well, this is where we part good friend, have a good nights sleep to you! See you tomorrow, Edward."

"See you tomorrow," Edward waved back to her as he wandered down the road, keeping his head down all the way, especially once he reached the narrows. It was the best thing to do, there were some things that went on down there that you just didn't want to see, but the girl's screams was enough for you to take a guess as to what was happening.

He wandered into the apartment building, heading up the steps, not even daring to touch the banister, god knows what was on it.

He passed a couple who were trying to suck each other's faces off in the hall, passed the druggie's den that always reeked of cannabis, passing the call girl's room and by the sounds of it she had company tonight, the gay couple were there as usual and greeted him, they were the only ones who where nice to him, but they always stood on the outside of their apparent smoking, even thought Edward had told them how bad it was all the time. Finally he reached his home, fiddling with the keys he walked inside and was immediately greeted by the smell of alcohol.

Sighing and leaning against the door as he closed it, he looked up at the ceiling as if to ask, 'why me' before carrying on further into the apartment.

"Dad?" he called and there was a slurred reply from the arm chair.

Edward dropped his bag in the hall and walked over to see his father slumped on his arm chair with beer cans scattered around him, watching a football game, the wife beater stained like always as he drank more beer before he frowned.

"Boy, there's no more beer!"

"Probably because you drank it all," Edward mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?! No mumbling in this house, I won't have it!" his father growled.

Edward resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I said I'll go and get you some more," he explained as he went back into the kitchen and picked up the spare cash on the side before walking out, muttering as he closed the door. "Maybe you'll finally drink yourself to death with this six pack."

It didn't take him long to get to the liquor store, his father had conveniently picked an apartment complex that was near to the store. Obviously when it came to what he wanted he wasn't a complete idiot.

Edward wandered in and even though he was under age, in the narrows it didn't matter, most to the alcohol that was soled here was illegally brought into the country, part of the reason Edward didn't dare drink it.

"Back again, Nashton?" the man at the counter chuckled as Edward placed the six pack of beer cans on the counter. "Ya old man already drank through that last pack?"

"I'm hoping I get lucky and he finally drinks himself to death."

The man at the counter chuckled. "I bet you are," he put it through the resigner before smiling at him. "That'll be 30 dollars."

Edward blinked. "That's ten dollars more then last time."

"Cuts kid, what can I tell ya, they're a killer to business I gotta build my money up some how."

"I won't have it then, I'll go somewhere else."

The man at the counter suddenly grabbed his head and slammed it twice against the counter top, before he held it there. "I don't think I quite heard you correctly, did you just say you'd pay me 40 dollars and I can keep the change."

"No, I-," he put more pressure on his head. "Ahh, yes, yes that is what I said, here," he handed the money to him and the man grinned before he picked up the cash and Edward slowly stood up rubbing his head and he glared at him slightly.

Another boy wandered into the shop, keeping his hood up as he wandered around the store, neither Edward nor the man behind the counter payed him any attention.

Suddenly the man behind the counter grabbed the six pack and pulled two of the cans out of the pack.

"Hey!" Edward cried as he tried to grab the cans.

"Should of given me the money I asked for first, shouldn't ya smart alack!"

"My dad's gonna kill me if I don't bring him six cans!"

"Sorry kid, but six cans for that small price is sure stealing."

Suddenly the boy who had just entered the store came up and placed a six pack on the counter. "How much?"

"30 dollars."

"Now that's stealing for that amount of cans," the boy snarled as he glared up at him. "My friend here is right," he gestured to Edward. "You really are stealing stuff."

"No!" the man growled and pointed to him. "You're the one who steals stuff, don't think I don't see ya brat, sneaking around my store and nicking my stock!"

"You watch me? That's kinda creepy."

"Get out, get the hell out! You two Nashton, get the hell out of here!"

Edward quickly grabbed the pack of beers and wandered out followed by the other boy.

"Is he always like that to you?" Edward asked as they wondered outside, Edward shifting the pack of beers as they both wondered in the direction of Edward's apartment building.

"Pretty much. Does he always slam your head against the counter like that?"

Edward frowned before stating bitterly. "Pretty much."

"Well, he was right about one thing," the boy smirked as he finally took his hood down showing a horrid burn along the side of his face leading under his eye to around his nose and mouth. "It was stealing going on in that place," he fished in his pockets for a bit before he pulled out two cans of the same beer as Edward had bought and handed them to him. Edward stared in wonder as the guy just smirked at him. "Just wasn't him doing the stealing."

"I… I don't know what to say…"

"A thank you's always nice."

"Yeah, gee, thanks, oh god my dad's not gonna kill me now."

"Figured you'd be happy with that," the kid shrugged as he pulled out a cigaret and lit it, taking in a gulp before he breathed it out, fishing in his other pocket and pulling out his own beer.

"You know that stuff's bad for you right?" Edward questioned.

"Don't care," the kid shrugged as he took in another drag and breathed it out. "Names Garfield Lynns."

"Edward Nashton."

"Nice ta meet you Ed," Garfield grinned before he turned and began to walk off. "I'll see you round."

Edward blinked and watched the boy wonder off into the dark before he wandered back into the apartment complex.

He might finally have a friend here.

With that he walked up to his apartment, dumping the beer next to his Dad's chair before he wandered into the kitchen to get something to eat, pulling out the bread before crying out in shock as a rat stood there nibbling at it.

He hated the narrows.

Quickly he showed it away and out of the apartment, before closing the door but then quickly reopening it again as three more rats came running, carrying the loath of bread. Not that Edward complaining, he certainly didn't want it any more.

Shaking his head he closed the door as the rats ran off with their prize, running through the halls and the streets before they finally reached one of the passages to the sewers, running and dodging anyone that got in their way taking their food away with them before finally stopping at an odd looking thrown in the heart of the sewers, a grimy hand reached down and plucked the bread from their tiny grasps holding it up to his face he sniffed it before smiling.

"Look my many friends!" he cried as he held the bread up to the rest of the rats that littered the room, the boy stood holding the rusty old lantern with candles decorating the thrown, an old couch, as he proclaimed the prize to the other rats. "We have food!"

Suddenly a sound interrupted the momentary joy as a drunken man stumbled into the room, he glared at the kid.

"I knew I wasn't going crazy!" he proclaimed as he glared at the boy and drunkenly pointed at him. "You've been stealing my stuff, rat king!"

"You didn't need that much stuff," the boy protested as he glared at him. "I needed it for myself and my friends," he gestured to the rats around him.

"Ya' freaky little rat catcher!" the guy growled and stamped on one of the rats.

The boy's eye twitched slightly.

"Ha! See I killed one of your many friends!"

The boy narrowed his eyes, his fist tightening around the handle of the lantern. He glanced at the many rats around him and nodded.

Suddenly they began to converge on the drunken man who began to stumble back in shock, this had never happened before. Rats began to crawl up his leg, biting and clawing their way up, some fell from the roof and landed on his head beginning to bite at his face and arms.

Eventually he fell over and the rats swarmed him, smothering him and his screams.

The boy looked on grimly as he took a bite out of the bread glaring at the murder in front of him. He turned on his heel and began to walk back to his throne, neither caring for the man behind him other then casting one comment back. "Welcome to the food chain."

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: So this is my own take on the origins of the characters and such with my own characters thrown in the mix, as well as maybe a few age changes. I hope you guys enjoyed this one and are looking forward to the next one :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Tell the psychiatrist something is wrong.

* * *

The alarm itself was a bad enough wake up call, quickly switching it off Edward stretched and yawned, even though it was the weekend, he still set his alarm, simply so he could get up early before his Dad and leave before he even woke up. Slipping out of his bed, he quietly stood up and got dressed, picking up his back pack and taking his wallet out before he slipped it in his pocket, carefully picking up his trainers and sneaking out.

He knew every floorboard by instinct, knew which ones squeaked and which ones didn't after years of sneaking out.

Once he was out in the corridor, he pulled his shoes on and quickly walked down the hall, practically running down the stairs as he ran out into the quiet streets of the narrows. There was never anyone around at this time in the morning, only a few homeless people, but that was it.

The narrows was only alive when it was dark, that was the only time it was ever active with people was when everyone else had already gone to bed.

He expected it to be like that as such, but what he didn't expect was to see Garfield leaning against the opposite wall of the apartment complex, smoking as he looked up at Edward and waved slightly.

"What are you doing here?" Edward asked as he walked over to him quickly.

Garfield shrugged. "Chilling, got nothing else to do this is the narrows after all," he took a quick drag of cigaret before glancing up at Edward. "What about you, where ya off to?"

"Gotham, bigger part if you know what I mean."

"And you're up at this time in the morning at the weekend because…?"

"Parental avoidence."

Garfield nodded in understanding before he smirked. "Wanna hang out?"

"Umm… I'm already got plans, but you can come with me," Edward smiled. "It's the least I can do after you saved my neck last night."

"Heh, no problem," Garfield smirked as he turned and began to walk with Edward, but he quickly stopped him when he almost stepped on a rat. "Ya don't wanna do that, trust me. Otis will get mad."

"Who's Otis?"

"One weird guy," the boy explained with a shrug before he grinned at him. "But he's cool, even if he is a little obsessed with rats, but ya know, don't blame him. Sometimes the rats are better company then the people."

"I know that feeling."

"You live in the narrows, of course you know that feeling."

It was nice to know somebody who could actually understand how bad the narrows where, Mist knew but not quite in the same way as Garfield did. She'd only been a here and few times, Edward didn't really want her here at all since, well, it was always bad and he didn't want her to get hurt.

She didn't deserve to be hurt but he knew for a fine fact that other people around the streets wouldn't think quite the same way.

"So, what ya doing then?"

"Oh just meeting with my friend, Mist."

"Mist?" Garfield grinned and nudged him with his shoulder. "Ya sure ya don't mean you're girlfriend?"

"I'm positive," Edward flustered before sighing and shaking his head. "Okay, I guess I do have a bit of a crush on her, but she doesn't know that and she doesn't need to know that."

Garfield laughed and lit another cigaret his eyes becoming fixated on the flame, the pupils dilated as he examined it, a small smile spreading across his face as he continued to stare.

Edward frowned at this. Everything he was showing towards the flame was not a good sign, it was showing arousal at the mere sight of the fire and Edward knew one thing about that and it never ended well.

"You like fire?"

"Love it," Garfield breathed as he quickly shut off the lighter, his pupils shrinking back to normal size as he glanced at Edward and placed the lighter away. That's when Edward saw it for the first time.

The firefly embossed on the the lighter itself.

"Firefly?"

"Huh?" he took a glance at the lighter and smirked. "Yeah, I kinda like the idea of them. Pity they aren't really fire flies ya know?"

He didn't, but so there was no argument Edward smiled and nodded at him. Ah this morning was going to be a long one.

* * *

In the dark, of the room, it was hard to believe that anyone was reading, let alone was awake in the room. The place was an old house, somewhere in the suburbs. It would of been classed as a real haunted house, that was the only thing it could ever be considered to be. As the cobwebs lined the halls, they spoke of someone who didn't keep anything man sitting at his desk, writing with precision as he gazed over the chemicals, his general image giving off a mad scientist look to it as many other chemicals littered the room, flasks held a strange orange glowing liquid in them as the man went through his notes, finally pausing as a spider crawled onto the table.

"Now little arachnid whatever do you want?" the man spoke, a odd drawl to his tone as he held his hand out and let the spider crawl onto his hand. "Come to my web, side the spider to the fly," he hummed before chuckling, his voice was generally husky and it would of sent chills down anyone who heard it. "Now whatever are you doing crawling out of the darkness, are you quite well?" he questioned it as he let the thing crawl over his hands.

The man smirked letting his teeth gleam in the very small amount of light that there was in the room. "Maybe you've gone blind and cannot see the danger you are in when you reach the light, many people do hate you," he explained to the arachnid, even though it didn't understand him at all. "Is it because of your eight legs, you un-human like form, the way you scuttle across the light from shadow to shadow? Whatever it is," the man finished as he held the poor thing by one of it's many eight legs and let it dangle there as the other seven moved around helplessly, like they were trying to escape the danger it now realised it was in. "People simply don't like you, they even go as far as to call you a pest. One doesn't quite understand why, you do get rid of the real pets, flies and such. It is such a shame nature didn't bless you with looks, perhaps then people would leave you alone, leave you to your ghastly work?" he chuckled and let the spider drop onto the table as he watched it try to get back to his feet. "I know how it feels, nature wasn't kind to me either, in a way I suppose I am like a spider, sitting in the dark and wait patiently before I strike!" he slammed his hand down on the poor arachnid who never stood a chance. "Unfortunately for you though, whilst the majority of people would consider me a spider, I see myself more as a crow."

" _Or a scarecrow…"_ a voiced oozed out from the darkness.

The man at the table froze. "Be quiet."

" _Or what Jonny? You'll feed me to the crows?"_ There was a cackle from the darkness of the room. _"You and I both know what that feels like. Granny taught you well when it came to sadisim, god rest her soul."_

The man at the table slammed his hands down and stood up. "Stop talking."

" _Why am I getting to you?"_

He didn't reply he simply began to carry on with his work, amber eyes shining in the light as he studied his work, pulling out a needle and preparing it as he gently tapped the bubbles out of the mixture.

Swallowing hard he looked around the room and quickly rolled up his sleeve, standing still for a moment as he glanced one more time around the room.

There were no test subjects, no one else for him to test this one… no one but himself.

Swallowing hard he held the needle up to the light before he slammed the needle into his arm, biting his lip as he pushed the plunger down, pulling the needle out and letting it drop out of his hand as the room began to tilt and he stumbled slightly the side, staring up as parts of the room began to crumble away, revealing an orange like sky behind it, with black shapes flying past.

He blinked, the amber eyes now a fiery orange as he took in his new surroundings. Out of no where a crow flew over his head and another ripped at his back.

He stumbled to the floor and began to breath off pace, glancing up as a dark figure fell over him, staring back into the skull of Great Granny, who's empty eye socket that the crows had long since pecked out seemed to be boring into his soul, if he even had one.

He let out a scream as he stared up at her, the crows flying around pecked at him and his back, he couldn't move, couldn't defend himself as this nightmare of his childhood seemed to over take his senses.

Somewhere in the midst of all this chaos, laughter could be heard, hollow and detached as Jonathan turned to stare at a ghastly image of a scarecrow holding a scythe, blood dripping from the blade as it looked up at him, eyes glowing amber as it grinned with a stitched up mouth.

" _Oh Jonny boy,"_ the Scarecrow laughed as it shook it's head and held the scythe ready to swing at any moment as he walked up to him. _"What ever have you done?"_

He leaned back, resting his head against the floor, closing his eyes and screaming, moaning in pain as more horrid beaks cut and tore into his flesh, the old woman's voice came ringing through their caws, amazing grace hitting his ears as he stared up into the feathered filled sky.

" _Ring, a ring, a ring, a rosey, a pocket full of posey,"_ the voiced echoed around Jonathan's head as he tried to stand up, managed to grab at the table and force himself to stand as he stared at the other part of him, the other personality that stared back, stitched up mouth grinning at him all the way as he talked, maggots crawling out of his mouth, other insects came too, spiders soon crawled out of his eyes. _"A tissue, a tissue,"_ he chuckled and reached out a claw like hand and placed it on Jonathan's forehead, the grin never leaving the scarecrow's face as he pushed Jonathan backwards and onto the grimy floor as every single nightmare fell on him at once. _"We all fall down!"_

* * *

The people in the Dinar all laughed, plates clattered as the staff took them away, the smell of coffee filled the place as the machines poured the black liquid into a cup.

Garfield was happily drinking a milkshake as he glanced at Edward and Mist who where doing the same. It was really quite kind of Mist to have bought him a drink ,most people wouldn't of bothered but she had.

She was nice too as a person, if a little eccentric, but he had the feeling that secretly Edward was too, he just hid it very well.

"So, Garfield?" she questioned as she looked up at him. "Do you do anything to get any money or do you just relax and chill?"

"I go to school when I feel like it," he shrugged. "Mostly when we have chemistry I like burning things," he explained as he sat there and slurped up more of his milkshake. "Plus I don't really like the kids there, they treat me like common trash."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be, they're probably not too far off the truth," he shrugged before glancing up at her. "So what is it that you do?"

"Studying english mostly and then I have psychology with straw man," she shuddered slightly. "Man that guy gives me the creeps."

"Well you never know he may turn out to be a murderer and you'll get to report on it one day," Edward said with a slight shrug and small smile falling across his face.

"It really wouldn't surprise me if he was a murderer."

Garfield smirked. "He really that bad?"

"If you saw him you'd understand."

He laughed slightly before he glanced out of the window and raised an eyebrow but then he was waving slightly and the others glanced in to see another boy who looked a few years younger then the others who quickly waved back before he was inside and sitting next to Garfield.

"Hey, Drury," Garfield smirked. "How you been?"

"What are you doing here?" the poor kid looked hugely flustered, like he wasn't used to being in a public place and by the looks of the clothes colours he had chosen that went together, then it really wasn't surprising.

"I'm hanging out with my new friends, you should try it some time, kid," he gestured to Mist and Edward. "Guys, this is Drury Walker, Drury this is Mist Terry and Edward Nashton, they're nice, you'll like them."

"Hi," Drury waved awkwardly before he turned back to Garfield and shook him slightly. "Are you crazy? You can't be here! This is Sionis's district, the dude's still looking for you and he sure ain't happy with you Gar!"

"Wait, what?" Edward blinked and stared at Garfield. "You were with Sionis?!"

"Wanna yell that a little louder?" Garfield growled out before he sighed and shook his head. "It's not like that, I just got mixed up with the wrong people is all, but then they blew me over and took all my money I'd earned, so I burnt one of his many warehouses to the ground. The little cry baby will get over it, he's got plenty more anyway."

"I don't think that's how it works," Mist said as she raised an eyebrow and Drury shook his head violently.

"It isn't. He wants ya dead, Gar! Dead, six feet under!"

Garfield shrugged and pulled out another cigaret. "He'll have to catch me first and lets be honest Mask ain't the fastest guy out there is he?"

"It's still dangerous," Edward insisted as he stared at Garfield as he pulled out his lighter, cigaret held tightly in his lips.

Garfield rolled his eyes before he shrugged and stared at Edward. "Does it look like I give damn?" he gestured with his arms before he lit his cigaret and took in a drag as he put his lighter away.

Somewhere at the counter a guy turned to a waitress and tapped her on the shoulder before he gestured to the tv above. "Hey Doll, could ya turn that up please?"

The waitress rolled her eyes. "Don't call me doll," she growled as she turned and put the tv's volume up as it showed the news reporter at a new crime scene.

They all glanced up at the news report, talk about a man found with a smile calved on his face and a note saying 'did you miss me?' was written in blood of all things.

Edward shuddered slightly and Garfield shook his head. "This town is getting weirder by the minute, it's going down the drain."

"Yeah but what about the Batman?" asked Drury and Edward groaned but Mist grinned, Garfield just looked at him strangely.

"What are you going on about?"

"Batman!"

"Who?"

* * *

"Who are you talking about Mister Tetch?"

The man who had been pacing the floor in front of the two police men as they watched him with slight confusion. He was dressed oddly for a start, a long blue coat was flapping at his heels as he paced back and forth in front of them, muttering things to himself as he went before he stopped and looked back at them.

"The Walrus and the Carpenter, they've stolen my things, they always steal but now I know, now I know they have indeed stolen my things."

"Okay…" the cop laughed as the other was giggling slightly but trying to hide it. "We'll just go and talk to the red queen and tell what's going on, okay Mister Hatter?"

Jervis narrowed his eyes. "I'm not crazy."

"No, course you're not," the cop laughed as he put away his paper and pen. "I never said you where."

Jervis turned away, a deep frown on his face as he looked down at his watch. "I'm not crazy," he repeated as the cops began to leave, the sound of the bell indicating they had gone. "I'm mad," he finished as he snapped the watch close, the girl behind the counter looked up at him and smiled at him.

"Oh don't worry about them Jervis, they don't understand you or take you seriously, that's all," she waved the cops off. "They're idiots to tell you the truth. So what if you're crazy, all the best people are."

He smiled at her. "Ah, sometimes, Alice I think you're the only one who understands me here in Wonderland."

"Merci."

"What?"

"My name is Merci, Jervis we have been over this before," she said, glaring at him slightly at the fact he got her name wrong again.

Jervis swallowed and clenched and un-clenched his fists as he stood there staring up at the woman before him. "Yes of course, dear," he managed to get out as he walked past her to the back of his shop. "Take care of the shop for me, will you?"

"I always do," she smiled to him and he gave her a tight smile back to her, walking through into the back room before he locked it.

"I'm not crazy am I?" he asked his reflection. "Of course in the looking glass it could all be different, everything is opposite and there are seven different types of time in Wonderland, it can be very confusing… maybe in one of those times I am crazy?" he frowned and his reflection frowned back at him. "You seem to be just as confused as I am."

Turning away from the mirror he walked back to his table where many different pieces of computer bored and bits of wire not to mention pieces of metal and copper, as well as the bits of fabric that lay around the table too.

"I'm not crazy," he stated again as he picked up one of the computer bored and then turned, leaving back slightly as he grabbed his top hat and placed it on his head. "I'm mad, that's plain to see. I'm mad, mad as a hatter or maybe madder, but we're all mad here," he gestured with each of his words as he experimented with the computer bored and welded some other parts together. "I'm mad," he gestured to himself before pointing at his reflection in the mirror, "You're mad."

He held up his finished piece, a white rabbit mask stared back at him and smiled. "How do you know I'm mad?" he questioned the mask before he pointed at in and leaned closer to it, the grin never leaving his face. "You wouldn't be here if you weren't!"

He began to laugh and slammed the mask back on the table, giggling quietly now as he bowed his head down.

"Mister Tetch?"

His laughter stopped and he turned to the door.

"It's me Merci, is everything okay in there?"

Jervis giggled slightly and then he was laughing again and looking back at the mask before looking back at the door.

"All is quite well, Alice, all is quite well!"

There was a sigh from behind the door. "It's Merci and the customer is here, the one who wanted a special fitting."

"Oh wonderful, send him through, I'll unlock the door."

"Alright, Mister Tetch," she called as she disappeared from the door.

Jervis giggled once she was gone and looked back at the mask that was in his hands again. "Oh frabjous day, calloo, callay, the white rabbit's here," he leaned close to the mask and jumped up onto the table before whispering to the mask like it was a big secret. "It's time to play!"

T.B.C:

* * *

 **Note: Next part! :) Enjoy.**


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